I'd come for you
by x.xOracles.Shadowx.x
Summary: No matter how lost Emily gets, Toby will always bring her home. - Short, fluffy songfic about how I think Toby and Emily should end up. I own nothing, so please don't sue. I just love these two. Enjoy!


**AN: Hi, guys. So, I've recently jumped on the PLL bandwagon. I absolutely love it! For PLL, I'm loving Spencer/Alex, Emily/Toby, and Aria/Ezra (Student/Teacher. Didn't think I'd ever actually support a couple like that, but Mr. Fitz is hot and Aria is just awesome.) . I'm still warming up to Hanna/Sean, but I'm really looking forward to Hanna/Lucas. It'll be very Beauty and the Geek, I think. **

**This little one shot was inspired by Homecoming Hangover, and the episode after that. I don't want Toby to die! So, in my world, he hasn't. :) I think Emily and Toby really get each other; he knew she had feelings for Maya when her best friends didn't have a clue, and I really don't see her casting him away because of what happened with Jenna. This was basically what I think should have happened after Toby's crash and after his bike was found. As to the song... I don't know. I love the White Lies, and it just seemed like an ironic thing to add to the story. I normally really don't like Nickelback; maybe I just listened to them too often but all their work sounds the same to me now. But I was browsing through the Dark Horse album and heard 'I'd come for you'. Sexual entendre aside, the song really moved me and when I was writing this, the song started playing and a lightbulb went off. It's a little fluffy, so be warned you might get a cavity from it. :P **

**I think that's about it. I own absolutely nothing, beside the laptop I'm typing this on, so please don't sue. I'm just using them for the moment because they're cute. :) Enjoy!**

_Inspired by stories written by- 24isthebest and doxthextimexwarp - You gave me the inspiration to write this. :)_

Her mom hadn't eased up on the strict Military/Stepford combo she'd been hitting her with since Homecoming, and it was driving Emily screaming up the wall. The girls had just left her so she could get some sleep, and though she loved them, Emily was glad because they had been hurting more than helping. With Hanna unable to shut up about Sean and Lucas, Spencer being on Cloud 9 because of Alex, and Aria trailing off in a daze mid sentence, it was a recipe for a headache.

She lay in her room on her side, listening to the CD Toby had made for her, and only had one thought; She missed Toby. Regardless of how their last meeting had ended, if anyone could make her feel human again, it was him. Beside her, her phone vibrated and disrupted the late afternoon quiet. It was a text from Maya, not "A", and Emily really couldn't decide which was worse. 'Hey Em, I'm going out of town for a concert, going to be gone for the next couple days. Later! Xoxo' Her stomach twisted uncomfortably, and she snapped her phone shut without responding then flopped backwards on her bed.

She closed her eyes, and was swallowed by the sight of Toby's wrecked bike as it lay on the flatbed outside his house, where Jenna sat crying. It was enough to make her throat go dry and she shot back up in bed. The only silver lining in the storm her life had become was that Toby had been found alive shortly after his bike was discovered, and had been brought home soon after. Her parents had been livid and were about to march over to his house when Emily decided to come clean to the police about everything except the folder: Ben's abuse; Toby sticking up for her; "A" sending texts to them threatening to reveal their secrets; who they thought "A" was; the message on the mirror at Spencer's; the fortune cookies; how Toby had been trying to explain things to Emily the night of Homecoming, not hurt her; how the girls had tried to warn her and she'd panicked and run from Toby.

Jenna then took up the rest of the story, telling the police of she and Toby's relationship prior to their parent's meeting, how she'd advanced on him one night after the wedding, how Ali had learned about it and blackmailed Toby, forcing him to leave Rosewood, and how he'd come back only to meet and develop feelings for Emily. She also told them about what happened the night of Homecoming, where Toby had come home and told Jenna what had happened and that he'd seen Ali push Emily down the stairs, how he'd taken his bike to go find out just what was going on after bringing Emily to the hospital. Everything came out, up to and including her sneaking around with Maya. She wasn't sure she'd ever seen her dad go so pale so quickly before in her life, and her mother's expression had been worse. The girls had been standing with her when it all came out, and were completely stunned with how much they had missed. Aria, stone faced Aria, had actually cried and hugged Emily.

Maya, conversely, had been thrilled at the revelation and had introduced the mortified beyond words Emily to her parents as her girlfriend, in front of Jenna and the police. She hadn't even needed to fake the fainting spell that hit her when the words tumbled out of Maya's mouth, and she'd woken up in her room with lunch on a tray next to her bed including a note from her mother, telling her that they'd talk about everything when she was feeling up to it. The girls had come and gone, and now the house was so quiet that she could hear her parents talking down in the living room, and surprisingly heard what sounded like Jenna's voice.

She thought about getting out of bed, but decided against it. The more privacy she had the better, as far as she was concerned. She had the feeling that she and her parents would be having more than their fair share of conversations in the near future. She turned up the volume on her laptop speakers slightly, listening to the sounds of the White Lies washing over her as she closed her eyes and laid back on her pillow. The irony didn't escape her, but she chose not to reflect on it.

"Good song.", a voice commented from her door. "A little ironic, given the circumstances." She sat up in bed and found herself facing Toby. He stood in her door, wearing only jeans and an old t-shirt. She could see the tips of white socks coming from under his pant legs and found herself lost for words.

As it turned out, words weren't needed as her body was up and moving before she had time to order it to. She crossed the maybe four feet between her bed and the door and pulled Toby into a tight hug. She buried her face in his shoulder, and found herself crying.

Toby wrapped his arms around her and just mumbled reassuring nothings into her ear as the two stood in the doorway, rocking slightly back and forth while Emily cried into his shirt. "Shh... Em, it's okay. It's all going to be alright."

Emily sniffled a little, trying to calm herself down, then pulled herself away from him a fraction. She saw the cuts and scratches on his face, saw the bandages that covered his arm, and wanted to cry again. She gave him a watery smile, and said, "I know, it's finally over. Everyone... now everyone knows everything."

"And now you don't have to hide anymore. Maya must be thrilled." Those words, which were meant to be reassuring and encouraging, were like an ice pick to her heart. Emily looked into icy blue eyes and some very unhelpful part of her mind told her that she had gone to Homecoming with the right person, and that things were only going to get uglier when Maya got back to town.

"I don't care about any of that right now. I'm just so happy you're okay.", she told him, still hugging him. "And I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry, Toby, I should never have-"

"Hey, relax. You thought I'd murdered your best friend and was about to hurt you, and looking back I realize I hadn't exactly helped the situation. I understand.", Toby told her quickly.

"That doesn't excuse anything, I should have listened to you instead of freaking out.", Emily protested. She felt like this was all her fault, like his accident and him almost dying were because of her. If she'd listened, he wouldn't have been on the bike in the first place and wouldn't have crashed.

"Em, calm down, okay? It's okay; everything is going to be fine. They'll find whoever's been threatening you, and you and your friends will be safe again.", Toby promised her.

"I know. Toby, can I ask you something?", Emily asked, receiving a nod. "What happened? I saw the damage to your bike, and I know you're a good rider. How did you crash?"

Toby shifted a little as he stood, then looked back at Emily. "I was going to the mental hospital I'd been diagnosed at before being sent to my shrink in Rosewood. I remembered seeing a DeLaurentis file in his cabinet, so after I saw Alison push you down the stairs, I thought I'd play a hunch. I was on my way there when something hit my bike, and caused my accident."

"Oh my God, do the police know about this?", Emily asked. She'd made a firm promise to herself and the girls of no more secrets, especially not if Toby was at risk. She knew for a fact that Spencer was currently trying to work up the courage to apologize to both Emily and Toby for the things she'd said.

"I just told them everything, before I came up here.", Toby answered.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you, because I am, but what are you doing here anyway, Toby?"

"Actually, I was going to come over earlier, but then I heard Maya introducing you to her parents as her girlfriend, so I thought I should wait.", Toby answered, and Emily would have had to have the emotional capacity of a wooden spoon to miss the sadness in those blue eyes.

"Yeah, about that. We never actually talked about it, in depth you know? It was just kind of... spur of the moment?", Emily tried to explain.

"No worries." Toby shook his head and all Emily could see was the floppy brown hair. "I wanted to bring you this, and to wish you a speedy recovery."

"Thanks.", she answered, smiling while taking the CD in hand. She quickly glanced over the songs, seeing Nickelback and the White Lies among the tracks. Her eyebrow went up as she saw a picture of both she and Toby in the clothes they'd worn to Homecoming, and noticed that the first track was "I'd come for you" by Nickelback. "Toby, why-?"

"I was listening to the radio on the way to my house after I took you to the hospital, and that song was playing. It just seemed... right, I guess?"

"I've never actually heard the song. I was never much of a Nickelback fan.", Emily admitted.

"No, I'm not either. But the song just stuck with me, and I couldn't make you a CD without including it. I must have listened to it half a dozen times today alone when I was burning this. Jenna actually told me to suck it up, turn it off and come with her to give you the CD or she'd throw my stereo out the window.", Toby told her with a chuckle.

"Play it for me?", Emily requested, handing him the CD. Toby nodded, then took a seat on the edge of Emily's bed, putting her laptop on his legs. He inserted the CD, and a moment later, the song began pouring out of Emily's computer speakers.

_Just one more moment,  
That's all that's needed.  
Like wounded soldiers,  
In need of healing._

_Time to be honest.  
This time I'm pleading.  
Please don't dwell on it.  
'Cause I didn't mean it._

"Not their usual sound.", Emily commented in the momentary instrumental break. Just those two verses held so much weight between them, and both knew it. Images of his face as he pleaded with her in the chem lab to listen to him, begging her not to take the words of her friends over his, to let him explain, piled into her mind. Emily looked to Toby, and she couldn't get the apology through the lump in her throat. Tears swum into her eyes and he just took her hand in silent understanding.

"It's a gem among the garbage.", Toby answered quietly. "The majority of the album is a montage to sex, drugs and trailer trash rock and roll. Listen."

_I can't believe I said I'd lay our love on the ground  
But it doesn't matter, cause I made it up.  
Forgive me now.  
Everyday I spend away, my soul's inside out.  
Gotta be someway that I can make it up to you now.  
Somehow._

_By now you know that,  
I'd come for you.  
No one but you.  
Yes, I'd come for you,  
But only if you told me to._

_Yeah, I'd fight for you,  
I'd lie, it's true.  
Give my life for you.  
You know I'll always come for you. _

"I went for you, to find a way to keep you safe.", Toby told her. "I knew I'd seen Alison, I'd never forget that face. And the thought that she was trying to hurt you and your friends, that she'd already hurt you and there was nothing I could do about it... Well, I went to a shrink for a reason."

"What reason?"

"Self sacrificial tendencies mostly. I'd give anything to keep the people important to me safe, and you were hurt, your friends were in danger. And I don't respond well to helplessness. Part of what made me a little unstable after Jenna went blind. I loved her and there was nothing I could do to help her.", Toby explained, leaning over on his legs. "I wanted to protect you, to keep you safe."

'You already do.', Emily wanted to tell him but the words stuck in her throat. 'You already do keep me safe, you let me be me.'

_I was blind folded  
But now I'm seeing.  
My mind was closing.  
Now I'm believing. _

_I finally know just what it means to let someone in.  
To see the side of me that no one does, Or ever will.  
So if you're ever lost and find yourself all alone.  
I'll search forever just to bring you home.  
Here and now, this I vow._

She heard the words, and it was like his eyes were echoing that sentiment. Something in her soared, and she was thrilled to realize that it was her heart. She wanted Toby to stay with her, to keep seeing that side of him, and if she was reading this right, he wanted that too. When she got lost, as she knew she would with this "A" disaster, she wanted Toby to find her, to bring her home.

"You never judged me for what happened with Jenna.", Toby told her. "Even my therapist judged me for it, but you didn't. You looked past all of it and just saw me for me."

"You were worth looking for.", Emily promised him, squeezing his hand.

_By now you know that,  
I'd come for you.  
No one but you.  
Yes, I'd come for you,  
But only if you told me to._

_Yeah, I'd fight for you,  
I'd lie, it's true.  
Give my life for you.  
You know I'll always come for you.  
You know I'll always come for you._

_No matter what gets in my way  
As long as there's still life in me  
No matter what, remember  
You know I'll always come for you._

_Yes, I'd come for you.  
No one, but you.  
Yes, I'd come for you.  
But only if you told me to._

_Yes, I'd fight for you.  
I'd lie, it's true.  
__Give my life for you.  
You know I'll always come for you._

"_No matter what gets in my way, as long as there's still life in me, no matter what remember, you know I'll always come for you_.", Toby sang in time with the song, looking at Emily like she was the only one in the world. "_I'll crawl across this world for you, do anything you want me to. No matter what, remember. You know I'll always come for you. You know I'll always come for you._"

"Toby..." Emily was again lost for words, and before she could think of any to say, she'd leaned forward and met Toby in a kiss. She felt what she knew was a pale hand slid up her arm to touch the side of her face gently and her only thought was that she was safe, happy and home.

Much to her disappointment, Toby ended the kiss and Emily looked at him in question. He looked over her shoulder, and what could only be an awkward look crossed his face. All Emily could grasp of the situation was Toby's hand on her face and Chad Kroeger's voice singing from her stereo. She still didn't like Nickelback, but knew she'd forever associate them with kissing Toby for the first time. And oddly enough, she was okay with that.

A cough sounded behind Emily, and she glanced to see her parents, Hanna, Spencer, Aria, Jenna, Toby and Jenna's mom and dad, and Maya standing in her doorway. She looked back at Toby, and saw a nervous grin on his face, and she could only match it. Only she would manage to have the first boy she'd kissed in her room and got caught with be who her parents considered the neighborhood delinquent.

"Mom, Dad, Maya, guys... How long have you been-", Emily began.

"The whole time.", Maya cut her off. Emily felt a horrible stab of guilt for hurting her, but a small smile pulled its way onto Maya's face. "I guess you've made your choice, Em."

"I thought you were going out of town?", Emily asked confused. She checked her phone and the text still stared back at her.

"I am, but I wanted to stop in and say goodbye, see how you were doing. We arrived just as Toby was putting the song on. Good choice, by the way." Maya nodded to Toby, who Emily suspected didn't have a clue how to respond so he settled for nodding back. She hefted her guitar over her shoulder, and gave the two a small smile. "Well, I'm going to miss my bus so I guess I'll see you guys at school. Get better soon, Em."

"Maya, wait. I'm sorry, I didn't mean-", Emily tried to apologize. Maya held up her hand.

"It's okay, Em. I knew how you felt about Toby, even if you didn't.", Maya told her. "Toby, take care of her, okay? If anything happens to her, I'll kick your ass."

"I'd do anything for her.", Toby promised, holding Emily's hand on top of her blankets. Maya smiled once more, then bade farewell to everyone and took her leave. Pam Fields looked at Toby, and Emily gripped his hand, preparing for the tirade her mother would unleash.

"Well, I'd say everyone is hungry. How would you and your family like to stay for dinner, Toby, Jenna?", Pam suggested, shocking the hell out of the present teenagers, as well as some of the adults, if the expressions of her dad and Mr and Mrs. Cavanaugh were any indication.

"Mom?", Emily asked, surprised. Her dad smiled, and put an arm around his wife then turned to face his neighbors and his daughter's friends.

"Couldn't agree more. I think this neighborhood is more than overdue for a barbeque, and I'm sure the girls want to stay over and catch up with Emily.", her dad agreed, smiling at all present. "Are you feeling up to it, Em?"

"Uh, yeah, sure Daddy.", Emily agreed, still absolutely baffled. Her parents smiled, then ushered Jenna and Mr Cavanaugh and Mrs. Marshall downstairs to the backyard patio, leaving Hanna, Spencer and Aria standing in the door.

"I should go make sure your parents don't need any help.", Toby suggested, moving to get up.

"Don't move a muscle.", Aria told him, she and the other girls moving into Emily's room. Toby stayed put with Emily's hand still in his as Aria sat next to him on the side of the bed. Hanna moved to stand behind Emily while Spencer sat by the headboard next to Emily. The small brunette looked between the two passively, and seemed to approve of what she saw when a bright smile lit her face. "So. I guess we'll be seeing you a lot, Toby?"

"As long as Emily wants me, I'll be here.", Toby answered, and for the life of him, Emily thought he looked incredibly composed for a guy stuck in the center of a shark pack.

"Okay. Just be warned that we love this girl, and if you break her heart, we break you.", Hanna warned, her arms around Emily's shoulders and a smile on her face.

"Guys, what are you doing?", Emily asked.

"Em, we've been doing some thinking. We were insensitive, and mean and really bad friends to you when we found out about you two. We owe both of you an apology.", Spencer told her, looking sheepish as she sat on Emily's other side. "If Toby is what you want, we're with you all the way."

"And it'll let me sleep better knowing that you've got someone to look after you while "A" is still on the loose.", Aria put in.

"Look Em, the point is, we love you. You'll always mean the world to us.", Hanna told her, sitting on the bed. "And Toby, there are a lot of things we need to get out in the open, and it'll take time but if Emily sees something in you that she likes, we'll try to see it too. Just make sure you keep our girl safe, okay?"

"Always. And you're right, there's a lot to work out.", Toby agreed, looking at her and grinning as he put an arm around Emily. "Though to be honest, right now I'm a little more concerned with your father not totally killing me for kissing you."

"It's not my dad you need to worry about.", Emily told him with a stupidly happy smile on her face as she put a hand on Toby's leg.

"Yeah, what was with your mom? She's got like a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde thing going on.", Hanna commented. Emily laughed as Aria began a mock interrogation of Toby with Spencer as the bad cop and she as the good cop, and the group of teens were laughing like old friends when Emily's dad came to her room to tell them that dinner was ready.

Hanna, Aria and Spencer went with Mr. Fields down to the kitchen to get plates and cutlery, leaving Emily and Toby alone for a moment. Toby stood by her bed and gave Emily his hand so she could stand up, then smiled at her.

"What?", Emily asked, an arm wrapped around Toby's waist as the two walked to the staircase.

"Nothing, just seems like if I get you, I get your entire family as well. It's a hell of a bonus feature.", Toby chuckled, kissing the side of her head. Emily laughed with him, then smiled happily.

"It is a lot to take in, but they love me. They want to see me happy."

"And are you?", Toby asked. Emily considered it for all of half a second, then stopped and kissed Toby again. With that kiss, she knew she'd made the right choice. She looked down and saw her mom smiling at her from the patio, having seen and heard the whole thing.

"Yes, I am. Thanks to you.", Emily answered, kissing him again. And for the first time in a long time, Emily found that she meant it. She was happy. She was bi, had dated a girl and was now dating a great guy, and her family knew. After everything, her best friends knew, and they loved and supported her either way. Her parents knew, and they still loved her.

"Em, you and Toby hurry it up, okay? We're deciding between hot dogs and burgers, and Spencer and Hanna are calling their boyfriends over for dinner too.", Mr. Fields called in, standing in front of the barbeque with a flipper in hand. Emily and Toby walked out onto the patio, Toby getting Emily to sit on his lap while the voices of their families and friends surrounded them. Jenna gave her a subtle thumbs up and a genuine smile, and Emily smiled back. Let tomorrow bring what it wanted; as far as Emily and Toby were concerned, fate, "A", and whatever or whoever else could just bring it on. She was finally being herself with someone who really got her, and she was happy.

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**All together now: Awww :) I want my own Toby, only you know, without the step-incest and the beheading of innocent squirrels. xD**

**I know, I know. It's cheesy and cliche and there's so much sugar coming off of it, you'll probably get a tooth ache. (Sorry about that... xD) I just wanted to see them get a happy ending for once with everyone being okay with it! Maya is probably way OOC, but I just couldn't see her making the situation even more humiliating than it would already be. I probably got some things wrong, but I'm still catching up on the entire season so sorry for any inaccuracies.**

**Thoughts? Comments? Reviews? Love it, hate it, let me know. :) I'm thinking of writing one for Spencer and Alex, or maybe Spencer and Wren, but I need to do a little more digging into his background first. The kitchen scene with Spencer and Alex left me with quite a few plot bunnies I need to investigate, though. Opinions are always welcome. **

**That's all for now, my loves. Unfortunately, my net signal isn't that great out here so I update when I can. :( No worries, I'll be getting back to st Oneshots soon enough, I'm kind of in a PLL fandom mode at the moment. xD Enjoy!**

**Much love, Oracle.  
Hope everyone's summer is going swimmingly! (L) (L)**

**PS: Does anyone know Emily's dad's name? :S**


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